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Barefoot magician

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Barefoot magician

Postby Vbkr » July 27th, 2009, 2:43 pm

I have always wondered why does Coriakin always appear barefoot. It's specially underlined by the author (mentioned several times), but actually never explained.
Last edited by Vbkr on July 29th, 2009, 12:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Barefoot magician

Postby A#minor » July 28th, 2009, 12:08 am

:thinking: Well, stars wouldn't need to wear shoes, I suppose. What with the flying in outer space and all. :grin:
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Re: Barefoot magician

Postby VixenMage » July 28th, 2009, 7:19 pm

All the responses I thought of to explain why I wouldn't expect a star to wear shoes seemed hopelessly... hippie-ish. :rolleyes:

But if I'd never felt the Earth under my feet before, (or possibly even -had- feet), I'd never wear shoes, even for hundreds of years!
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Re: Barefoot magician

Postby Vbkr » July 29th, 2009, 8:17 am

What kind of "hippie-ish explanations"?
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Re: Barefoot magician

Postby Leslie » July 29th, 2009, 11:43 am

My guess is that Lewis was trying to emphasize the fact that Coriakin was not like other people -- probably Lewis would consider a star to be a type of "super-human", perhaps along the lines of an angel. And one wouldn't picture an angel wearing shoes.
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Re: Barefoot magician

Postby VixenMage » July 29th, 2009, 2:35 pm

Well, the best way I could think this out into words is that no one really would need shoes, in the more unspoiled parts of the world-- or in the better parts of Narnia. Shoes are a boundary, a border between you and the world. A star wouldn't... need something like that. Especially a fallen star, who was already 'tainted,' or as fallen as he would get-- why would he want a boundary?

But Leslie's answer makes more sense.
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Re: Barefoot magician

Postby carol » July 30th, 2009, 9:20 am

Does he go barefoot when he goes outside the house, or does he stay indoors all the time, one wonders?
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Re: Barefoot magician

Postby ainulindale » August 23rd, 2009, 4:23 am

i wonder if it has something to do with him being a retired star... i've read some biblical commentary somewhere about shoes being a symbolic of part of the armor of spiritual warfare, along with the breastplate, sword, etc....and isn't there something about warfare being for a certain age group, neither too young nor over a certain age? maybe not.

or maybe it just has to do with barefeet being generally more silent and easier to sneak around that house with?

if i could write, probably all my "good" characters would go barefoot -- just something romantic about it, but i doubt that would be Lewis' reason :smile:
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Re: Barefoot magician

Postby A#minor » August 25th, 2009, 5:59 pm

"My brain and this world don't fit each other, and there's an end of it!" - G.K. Chesterton
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Re: Barefoot magician

Postby Vbkr » August 30th, 2009, 3:02 am

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Re: Barefoot magician

Postby ainulindale » August 31st, 2009, 11:41 pm

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Re: Barefoot magician

Postby StellerD » September 8th, 2009, 3:40 am

Well these are my thoughts on the barefoot magician, (being Christian, I LOVE the allegory in all of the Narnia books, and this is what I interpreted)

When God spokes to Moses in the old testament out of the burning bush, he said "Take off your sandals for you are walking on holy ground".

Coriakin was a fallen star, he also seemed to know of Aslan, and his character seemed to show a deeper understanding of the things around him and of the purpose of the islands themselves (he WAS a star). Its possible that he is wise enough to show enough respect for creation and the "holy spirit" or presence of Aslan. He calls him Sir, and is crestfallen when he leaves.

Being a star Coriakin is also very old, its easy to see in older Christians that their ideas and tendencys are very orthodox/traditional. So its not too far fetched that Coriakin doesent wear shoes because of his awareness of what Narnia/Aslan really are.

I really love all of these books!, I hope this helps a little!
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Re: Barefoot magician

Postby Vbkr » September 9th, 2009, 2:43 pm

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Re: Barefoot magician

Postby StellerD » September 17th, 2009, 5:37 am

I dident detect any sarcasm, he goes on after to mention the whole "not a tame lion" bit most Narnians and things that live in the world Narnia is in dont usually joke about. I like the idea he might have been sarcastic (or even apathetic towards Aslan), that would put his character in a whole new light for me. It would give him a subtle shade of Milton's satan, although it would be a VERY subtle and subdued tinge. It would for sure change how the children would have perceived him.

:D im such a big fan of the stars in voyage of the dawn treader, the whole thing about beings being physically present (distantly present :P) and watching the land and its people move throughout time and coming down to mingle and interact some times. Even the idea that they could be punished for doing something wrong is such an open ended idea, it leaves so much to the imagination!
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Re: Barefoot magician

Postby Vbkr » September 17th, 2009, 11:26 am

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